230,000 tonnes of waste disposed of illegally

Some 230,000 tonnes of household waste is believed to have been disposed of illegally in 2004 when almost a quarter of homes did not have a bin collection service.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Waste Database for 2004 shows that 1.7 million tonnes of household waste was produced that year, and an eighth of this was never collected.

Local authorities believe the missing waste could have been dumped illegally or burnt in backyards.